Bayonne Mayoral Candidate and Convicted Felon Running Mate Caught in Web of Lies and Attempted Cover-up

BAYONNE, NJ — Not only does Jason O’Donnell have the distinction of becoming the first mayoral candidate in Bayonne history to run a convicted felon on his City Council ticket, now he has to deal with charges that they both are lying about it.

In an interview published in today’s Jersey Journal, O’Donnell Team Second Ward Council Candidate Kevin Kuhl clearly lies about his two gambling convictions when he states, “I called in three bets … I lost all three bets, got arrested and had to pay a $10,000 fine.” Under state law, making a personal bet is not illegal – but running an illegal bookmaking operation is, according to N.J.S.A. 2C:37-1.

O’Donnell has consistently praised his running mate as a “successful business owner in the second ward”. But Kuhl is actually a bartender, not a business owner. As a convicted felon, he cannot legally own a bar or hold a liquor license. 

“Jason O’Donnell is lying about Kevin Kuhl being a business owner and Kuhl is lying about his gambling convictions,” charged Second Ward Councilman Sal Gullace, who is running for re-election on Mayor Jimmy Davis’ ticket. “If his conviction is no big deal then why lie and deliberately mislead voters?”

The Davis campaign released police and court documents (attached) proving that Kuhl was convicted of possession of gambling records and promoting gambling  — not for placing personal wagers.  “If this is an example of what O’Donnell means when he talks about ‘character’ then we have a very different opinion of what honesty and integrity are all about,” Gullace added.